Apparatus for separating liquid from running strands



Get, 5, W54 H. J. MODERMOTT APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING LIQUID FROM RUNNING STRANDS Filed Sept. 15, 1951 INVENTOR.

A TTORNEY.

Patented Get. 5, 1954 i TET OFFICE APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING LIQUID FROM RUNNXNG STRANDS Application September 15, 1951, Serial No. 246,743

3 Claims.

This invention relates to the wet treatment of running textile strands and particularly to the separation of liquid. from strands which are withdrawn rapidly from a liquid treating region.

Separation of liquid from a strand is, for example, particularly significant in the spinning of viscose yarn at rapid rates. The filaments constituting the yarn are the coagulation product of small streams of viscose solution extruded into a bath of liquid coagulant. The material of the filament, however, is incompletely converted, as compared with the composition of finished yarn, when withdrawn from the bath and is in a somewhat plastic condition. While in this state, some extrusion or stretching of the yarn is permissible but excessive extension of the yarn at this point such as produced by excessive drawing is detrimental to its quality. Increased tension develops, as the rate of spinning is increased, from the increased drag exerted by the liquid of the bath on the yarn and by the weight of the liquid which the yarn tends to carry out of the bath. As the rate of spinning is increased, the amount of liquid carried out by the yarn is increased by a comparatively greater extent. Attempts to strip the liquid from yarns spun at speeds at which these tension or drag eifects are substantial have been unsuccessful because of the tension, yarn damage, or difficulty in lacing entailed in the use of the stripping devices employed. Moreover, in some systems of spinning, it is desired to deliver the freshly spun yarn to a treating station, a godet, or thread-advancing reel with a minimum of coagulant clinging to the yarn.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus in which freshly or incompletely coagulated yarn is subjected to controlled currents of liquid coagulants to minimize the drag thereof on the yarn, to strip the yarn of liquid normally carried thereon from the coagulant bath, and to accomplish such stripping without substantial friction or'damage to the yarn. Another object is to construct such apparatus so that it may be readily laced. It is still another object to provide a simple unit that may be attached to spinning equipment of the type which has an orifice for discharging a liquid and a strand, the unit being provided for the purpose of separating the liquid from the yarn with a minimum of friction and disruption of the filaments constituting the yarn. Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention and 'the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 7 is a view partly in section taken along line VIIVII of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is an elevation of a liquid-stripping element from the apparatus shown in Figs. 6 and '7.

To accomplish the objects of the present invention, apparatus is provided for receiving a stream comprising a liquid and a running strand for the purpose of separating the strand from the liquid. The apparatus comprises briefly a chamber in connection or association with the discharge portion of a conduit for the stream, and separate outlet systems for the liquid and strand.

The outlet for liquid may be, for example, a simple overflow weir through a wall of the chamber. The outlet system for the strand is an aperture or passageway produced from aligned terminal p01 tions of two slots, each slot being disposed within one of two juxtaposed removable panels or ele ments supported in a wall of the chamber with the relative alignment of the terminal portions being in a direction extending directly toward and away from the discharge end of the conduit.

To facilitate lacing of the yarn through the aperture or passageway, the slots of the elements extend in opposite directions therefrom toward and through the edges of respective elements. Both elements are slidably removable from the chamber wall in a direction parallel to the 1ongitudinal direction of the slots as determined by the normal position of the elements.

A combination of this apparatus with spinning equipment comprising a spinneret, a conduit mounted to receive streams of filament-forming material from the spinneret and to receive also a stream of liquid for converting the filamentforming material in the filaments, enables the production of yarn at high spinning speeds. In the combination, structure is provided for forcing the coagulant or other liquid filament-setting material through the conduit at a predetermined velocity, and the liquid and yarn-separating apparatus is mounted in association with the dis charge end-portion of the conduit to receive a 3 stream of the liquid and the resulting strand of filamentary material.

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are different views illustrating one embodiment of the present invention. A film-forming liquid is extruded from a spinneret 5 into liquid such as a coagulant contained in a tank 6. The small streams extruded from the spinneret are at least partially coagulated into filaments which are forced into the flared end 3 of a tube 9 by a current of liquid resulting from pressure exerted by a constant head of the liquid coagulant maintained in the tank 6. The liquid is supplied to the tank 6 through a supply duct, such as the inlet tube 1a. A constant head is maintained by the height of an overflow tube 11) within the tank 6. The head of liquid may be adjusted by extension of the tube 1a to such height as to obtain any desired velocity of the liquid through the tube; preferably the liquid head or pressure is so adjusted as to maintain a flow thereof through the tube 9 which does not vary substantially from the rate at which the filaments constituting a strand 9 are pulled through the apparatus. The movement of the strand is accomplished primarily by means such as a rotor II in the form of, for example, a conventional reel or a godet. In the practice of the invention, the velocity of the liquid through the tube 9 was preferably regulated to slightly less than that of the strand In so that the filaments constituting the strand remained taut and did not become tangled or otherwise disarranged.

The tube 9 terminates in a container I 4. A leak-proof connection is made therewith through a resilient washer I5 extending through the wall of the container. The container I4 is provided with a partition I! extending in a direction normal to the longitudinal direction of the tube. The partition is cut out to provide a slot or notch type opening substantially centered with respect to the discharge orifice l8 of the tube 9 and a projection of the path of the strand ll] therethrough and provided in sufficient size to receive a pair of stripping panels or elements and 25. The side peripheral surfaces of the slot in the partition are grooved to complementarily admit the outer edges of the panels 29, 2| whereby the elements may be held in the position illustrated during operation of the apparatus.

Slots are provided in the stripping elements, the inward extremities of which outline an aperture passageway 22 as shown in Fig. 3. A slot 2la of panel 2! extends from the upper edge or periphery of the member to approximately its center. A slot 200. of panel 20 extends from its lower edge or periphery to an elevation slightly above the end of the slot 2 la in element 2 l. Portions of the periphery of each panel are separated by its respective slot. The slots extend as shown in opposite directions from the path of strand ID or a projection thereof as discharged from the orifice l9. In this manner, a hole or passageway is formed conjointly constituted of the juxtaposed portions of the slots 20a and 2| a when the two panels or elements are in the position illustrated in Fig. 3 through which a strand l0 passes freely while being stripped of the liquid carried by the strand from the tube 9.

The partition 17 is provided with a notch or weir 24 through which the liquid which collects in the chamber 25 may be discharged into a chamber 26 and ultimately through a drain duct 21. The weir 24 is disposed at a higher level than the tube 9 to provide a bath within the chamber 25 in which the portion of the tube 9 extending 4 within the chamber is submerged. When desired, the level of the bath in chamber 25 may be lowered below the level at which the strand and liquid passes from the tube 9 by removing a stopper.

To properly align the strand H] as it passes onto the reel II, a guide 39 is provided with two upright pins 3| and 32 secured to an adjustable circular support member 33 having arcuate slots 34 and 35. The member 33 is adjustably secured to a base 3'! by the studs 38 which extend through the slots 34 and in threaded relationship with the base. An opening or slot 45 is provided in the wall of the chamber 26 through which strand may pass from the guide 39 to the rotor i I.

The various parts of the apparatus assembly positioned at the discharge end of the tube 9 for separating the yarn from the coagulant liquid are constructed of materials resistant to the coagulant and the various reaction products produced in the spinning operation. The container [4 including the partition may comprise materials such as glass, ceramic ware, hard rubber, lead, phenolic-formaldehyde type resin with or without fabric lamination, some types of stainless steel, and various other corrosion-resistant metal alloys known to the art. The elements 29, 2! as well as the guide 35 may also be constructed from one or more of these materials. The pins 30 and 3| are fabricated preferably from an abrasionresistant material such as glass, or glazed ceramic ware.

Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate a modified apparatus for receiving the yarn and accompanying liquid from the tube 9. The tube 9 extends into a chamber 45 of a container 46. The chamber 15 is bounded at one end by a partition 99 and a pair of stripping panels or elements 49 and 59. The partition 48 has a large slot or opening 5! and grooves 52 and 53 along each of the side surfaces of the opening. The elements 49 and 59 fit within the grooves and readily slide upwardly with respect thereto to be removable from the container 46. The face of the element 99 exposed to the interior of the chamber 35 is contoured in the shape of a cone for the purpose of guiding liquid discharged from the end of the tube 9 in an approximately semi-circular path within the end region of the chamber 55 adjacent the elements. The shape or" the element 49 shown in Figs. 6 and 7 is such ts to promote the separation of liquid from the strand without the creation of undesirable currents which may disturb or disarrange the strand in passing from the tube 9 to the apex of the element. To further this object, the tube 9 is extended into close proximity to the apex of the cone-shaped face of the element 49. To prevent circular or return currents of the liquid within the chamber 45, the liquid is discharged through overflow weirs or spouts 55 and 55 at the end of the chamber opposite that in which the stripping elements are positioned. Consequently the liquid of the bath has little chance to produce eddy or cross currents with respect to the strand along the portion of the path thereof exposed within the chamber. The spouts 55 and 56 are disposed preferably at a level higher than the end of the tube 9 to provide a bath of liquid into which the liquid and the strand Ii! are discharged from the tube 9. The bath helps to decelerate the liquid issuing from the tube and prevents the splashing and spray formation that would result if the bath were maintained at a level below the tube. However, under some conditions. it

'may be desired to dispense with the passage of the strand iii through a bath in the compartment 45. In this instance, the level of the bath may be lowered below the level at which the strand passes from the tube 9 to the aperture formed by the slots of elements 49 and 50- by removing a plug 5?.

The element 49 is provided with a vertical slot 53 extending from its lower edge. The element 56 has a vertical slot 59 extending from its upper edge to a level slightly below the upper extremity of slot 53. The two slots in conjunction with each other provide a substantially round aperture, when viewed from a point along the strand it, through which the strand passes in traveling from the end of the tube 9 to and through a guide 50 similar to the guide 30 of the earlier described embodiment. The materials used in constructing the apparatus shown in Figs. 6 and '7 may be any of these already named hereinabove with regard to the earlier described embodiment.

The basin as of the container 46 in which the guide 66 is supported is provided with a drain duct 65. Although liquid is discharged from the container primarily through the ducts 55 and 55, the basin $4 collects any liquid which seeps past the elements 49 and 58, and the liquid discharged through the slot of the element 50 during the lacing of the apparatus, the element 49 being removed to a position free and clear of the other parts of the apparatus at the beginning of the lacing operation. During removal of the element or panel 69, the yarn path or the projection of the portion of the yarn path within the tube 9 remains between the sides of the slot 58 until the periphery of the panel has cleared the path.

The strand id is readily threaded or laced through the container 45. A loose end of the strand is rapidly carried through the tube 9 by the liquid flowing therethrough. The end is captured after being discharged from the end of the tube and led through the slot of element 58 with the element 49 removed from the container, and through the upright pins El, 62 of the guide 69 to a strand-advancing member such as the rotor l l of Figs. 1 and 2. As the element 49 is then dropped into place the element moves parallel to the longitudinal direction of the slot 58 to transfer the strand in to the terminal portion of the slot, the strand during such movement remaining in conjacent relationship with sides of the slot. The yarn in thereafter may pass lengthwise through the encircling passageway comprising the inner terminal portions of the slots of the two elements as shown in Fig. '7. The earlier described embodiment shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 is threaded in the same manner.

The apparatus described hereinabove for separating a running strand from a liquid moving concurrently therewith has contributed greatly to the practicability of wet-spinning yarns of artificial filaments, particularly viscose yarns, by the tube spinning process. By combining strand-liquid separating equipment with spinning equipment wherein the strand is coagulated or otherwise solidified from liquid streams of filament-forming matter by passing the filamentary material concurrently with a stream of coagulant or other liquid through a tube, it has been possible while employing high spinning speeds to reduce the amount of liquid carried by the strand after passing from the tube thus avoiding the adverse eiiects which ordinarily accompany such elevated spinning speeds such as added drag and weight and the unwanted introduction of appreciable quantities of the liquid into further processing steps applied to the strand. l he present invention, although described with respect to the manufacturing of viscose yarn, is applicable to other fields of strandprocessing wherein strands are passed concurrently with liquid through one region at rates suflicient to cause considerable adherence of the liquid to the strand as it passes into a further region in which separation of the liquid and the strand is desired.

While preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it is to be un derstood that changes and variations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for separating a stream of rapidly moving liquid from a running strand moving concurrently within the stream, the apparatus comprising an open-topped container, a tube having an orifice for discharging the stream and the strand into the container along a substantially horizontal path, the container having a notch-type opening through a wall thereof facing the orifice, the opening being spaced from the orifice along a projection of the path and extending from the upper limit of the wall, overflow means for the passage of liquid from the container extending through a Wall of the container opposite that in which said opening is disposed, and a pair of panels for closing the opening, guide means for supporting the panels in slidably detachable association with the wall to substantially close the opening, said panels having flat surfaces in juxtaposed relationship when positioned to close the opening with the panel nearest the orifice having a conical surface extending outwardly toward the orifice and substantially centered around the projection of said path, each panel having a slot extending from said path projection to an edge of the panel in a direction opposite to the direction in which the slot in the other panel extends, said slots having their inward terminal portions surrounding the path projection and in conjunction with each other constituting a passageway for a strand through the panels, said guide means being aligned for movement of the panels along paths parallel to the lengthwise direction or" the slots, one panel being movable along its path to a position free of the wall and the other panel in a direction opposite to that in which the slot thereof extends from its inner terminal to its edge.

2. Apparatus for separating a stream of rapidly moving liquid from a running strand moving concurrently within the stream, the apparatus comprising an open-topped container, a liquid storage chamber within the container, duct means having an orifice for discharging the stream and the strand into the liquid storage chamber along a substantially horizontal predetermined path, overfiow means disposed at a level above that of the orifice for the passage of liquid from the liquid storage chamber, a second chamber withinthe containerand awall for separating said two chambers spaced from the orifice along a projection of the path, said Wall being cut out to provide an opening therethrough surrounding a projection of the path and extending from the upper limit of the wall, a pair of panels for closing the opening, vertically extending guide means for supporting the panels in detachable and slidable association with the wall to substantially close the opening, said panels being removable from the container along said guide means and having flat surfaces in juxtaposed relationship when positioned to close the opening, one panel having a vertical slot extending from a point slightly above said path projection to its lower edge, the other panel having a slot extending from a point slightly below the path projection to its upper edge, the inward terminal portions of said slots surrounding the path projection and in conjunction with each other constituting a passageway for the strand through the panels, and a drain duct in connection with the lower portion of the second compartment.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein a strand guide is mounted in the second compartment in spaced relationship with the panels and 8 in substantial aligmnent with said passageway and the orifice.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 153,410 Whitnum July 21, 1874 160,743 Barker Mar. 16, 1875 676,521 Larsen Nov. 21, 1901 2,131,409 Nai Sept. 27, 1938 2,241,304 Heywood et al May 6, 1941 2,299,145 Hill et al. Oct. 20, 1942 2,351,110 Davidson et a1. June 13, 1944 2,354,459 Harris et a1 July 25, 1944 2,440,057 Millhiser Apr. 20, 1948 2,624,189 Pendleton Jan. 6, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 892,116 France Jan. 3, 1944 

